iPad Accessories: What You Should Get Next

iPad

So you have a new Apple iPad or iPad mini. Maybe you got it for the holidays, or for your birthday, or you decided to take the plunge and buy one for yourself. No matter how you got it what matters is that you have it.

But the odds are that you have only that iPad; no cases, no apps, no accessories, just a naked tablet to make your own. Here are guides to the best cases, software, and other great add-ons to turn your new iPad into your iPad.

iPad Cases

There are hundreds of iPad cases to choose from, ranging from magnetically attached covers to rugged rubber cages. We’ve looked at a bunch of cool iPad cases and picked out some of the most interesting and useful. Whether you have an iPad 3 or iPad 4, they use the same case and cover, so don’t worry about getting an iPad 4-specific case. The Apple iPad Smart Cover$39.00 at OWC is a simple, stylish screen protector for your iPad that doubles as a stand. If you’d like a more comprehensive case, the Editors’ Choice ClamCase combines a sturdy shell with a keyboard. If you got an iPad Mini, we have that covered with our best iPad mini cases story, too.

iPad Apps

An iPad is pretty useful out of the box, but to really turn it into a productivity or entertainment machine you need to spend some time in the App Store. Our list of the 100 best iPad apps covers everything from must-have tools for work to must-have games for play. Apple iWork stands out as one of the biggest must-have apps for your iPad; at $10 it combines Pages, Numbers, and Keynote into one package that can turn your iPad into a portable office. If you want to focus on the fun side of the iPad, our list of the 75 best iPad games will keep you playing for days.

iPad Other Accessories

Apps and cases are just the tip of the iPad iceburg. There are stands, stylii, keyboards, speakers, arcade cabinets, and other great accessories that can transform your iPad into the workhorse, kitchen assistant, gaming system, or audio player of your dreams. Our list of thebest iPad accessories shows you everything else you can get for the iPad, from a $25 stylus (the Editors’ Choice Pogo Sketch Pro) to a $80 desk stand to a $800 typerwriter keyboard.